Jim Pesavento - Palomar College, San Marcos, CA

Professor: Jim Pesavento

Department: Science

College: Palomar College, San Marcos, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: AST120
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Good professor. Just show up and do your work.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ASTR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I took astronomy 30 years ago. It took me 2 tries to barely pass. I would recommend physics should be a prereq. But the instructor was brilliant, adorable and entertaining. In fact most of the girls had a crush on him back then

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you didn't love this class, then you didn't apply yourself. Pesavento is a great professor who KNOWS and keeps up on his material. Many students think he's rude, but these are the people who skip class and do the bare minimum. He WANTS his students to learn. If you work and participate, he will make sure you understand the concepts in his class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I really liked this professor, he was one of the first I had and he was more than helpful when any questions were brought up. Strict on attendance yeah, but he understands that the subject he teaches is really involved and you can't be missing the class and still get the material. I really liked him.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ASTRONOMY120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

GO TO EVERY CLASS AND BE ON TIME. He is very strict about attendance. Just study your lecture notes and you'll be fine. Take good notes, pay attention and you'll be great!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ASTRONOMY100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you miss even one class, there is no way to make up or learn that material, at all! Extremely dry lectures. If you ask a question he will repeat it right back to you or just yell at you in front of the class.(?!) Takes off points for handwriting that he takes no effort to try to read. Save your time and energy and take a different class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Strict grader, expects students to follow instructions. Great prof, I get the feeling that he knows everything about science! Lecture book is cheap, he'll loan you a text book. Grades on attendance, 6 quizzes, midterm/final. Midterm grade can be replaced with a research paper. If you space out in class he'll grill you until you pay attention. :)

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This is a difficult class - be aware of that! He lectures daily following his PowerPoint notes that are the required text instead of a book. He offers a 12 page paper to bring your grade up if you fail the mid-term. Attendance is mandatory; you won't want to miss anyway - you'll miss his lecture and blow the next quiz! Very enthusiastic teacher!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GEOL100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Disorganized lectures, not good at communicating topics to people who dont have strong science background. Unclear. Wouldnt reccomend him as a professor. Dont feel like I learned much.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ASTR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

DONT BUY THE BOOK! Only uses class notes that you have to buy; hard class because its hard to comprehend. He is pretty good at explaining things but he is kind of an ass when it comes to answering questions. Gives out a study guide that helps a lot, you can also write a research paper to replace your midterm grade, wish i did it for an A butgot a B

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This teacher is very passionate about the info he teaches about but he does embarrass you if you ask you about something that was unclear to you. He gives you a study guide but if you follow along with the study guide, you'll find that he doesn't cover everything. Take this class at your own discretion.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GEO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Teacher likes his subject alot. However, lectures are fast paced and cover quite alot. He isnt always very clear on lectures either but the two tests and six quizzes are based straight from his lectures. NO BOOK NEEDED, which is nice it saves alot of money. Final is brutally tough

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ASGE102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Really passionate about the subject, wants to teach you as much as he can. Class is hard but he makes up for it with the fact that he grades on a curve, so you don't have to earn a very high percentage to get a good grade.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Coolest teacher, very passionate about what he is teaching. Adds humor here and there. The concepts are hard but he is pretty clear on what he wants and expects from you. I liked this class a lot

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ASTR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Stay away!!! If you're 2 min late he counts you absent. But he has 20 min to show up. We left after 18 min, he counted the whole class absent!!! When theres 1 min left and people start packing their books, he stops and says "hey I still have 45 seconds!" ridiculous and don't ask questions! He'll humiliate you!!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Do not be 30 seconds late, you're considered absent. Don't ask any questions! He'll make you feel really stupid. If you get up to leave he stops class to call you out. Do not take this class!!! Especially if you're religious he finds a way to debunk creation almost every class and it gets annoying!!!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This class was SO hard! He is a stickler for attendance, so don't dare be late even a minute. He was VERY good at explaining things and putting concepts into comprehend able examples, but the class should be considered an upper level course, not an intro class. I worked by butt off and did not miss a day and slid by with a B.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ASTO101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Warning : Not an easy class and not an easy subject! half of the class dropped and you must be dedicated. He did not make it interesting, very boring and astronomy is so interesting but not the way he presents it. Overall he goes too quickly and I learned more by studying on my own, Im glad its over i have never worked so hard in my life.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

he is very strict with attendance but overall hes very good at explaining the course. But i realized that he does not make astronomy so interesting

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ASTR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I loved Professor P. He pushed us really hard and made getting an A something that I was proud of. It was NOT a fly class. He was really sarcastic and said "then" too much, but he also had a pretty dry sense of humor, which I enjoyed immensely.